Lisveth Trejo was reading at a second-grade level when she walked into Theresa Rice’s double-intensive eighth-grade reading classroom at Tomlin Middle School. But it turned out to be one of the most transformative years of Trejo’s life, both academically and personally.
So when Trejo found out about Barnes and Noble’s “My Favorite Teacher” essay contest, choosing a subject to write about was easy for her.
Her essay was so moving that she was given the top score among 65 entrants from Hillsborough County, and she will have the opportunity to advance in the contest at the regional and national levels.
Spanish was Trejo’s first language. She struggled in school from an early age because she had not be prepared for a fast-pace classroom environment in a language she had not learned at home.
Trejo’s siblings were high-achievers, but Trejo seemed to be left behind. Her parents’ expectations for her fell. After she got her first referral in fourth grade, she stopped putting in the effort to succeed.
“As a result, I was left with no confidence when it came to learning, and this developed into a strong urge to rebel,” Trejo wrote in her essay. “This continued all the way throughout most of middle school, and then one teacher motivated me enough to change all of this.”
On Trejo’s first day of eighth grade, Rice told a personal story about a difficult family background that resonated with Trejo.
“I didn’t even learn how to read until I was 21, when I started junior college, so I can relate a lot to the kids coming into the classroom,” Rice said.
Throughout the year, Rice tutored Trejo before and after school. But Rice’s guidance extended far past Trejo’s textbooks.
“I was able to come to her not only when things got hard school-wise, but also with personal issues,” Trejo wrote. “My classmates and I even began to call her Mama Rice, because she had become a mother figure to us.”
By the end of the school year, Trejo had advanced from a level-one FCAT reading score to level four. And this year, Trejo felt confident enough in her abilities to enter a national essay contest.
The top five contest entrants in the Tampa Bay area read their essays at Barnes and Noble in Brandon Saturday, April 11. It was the first time Rice had heard Trejo’s entire piece.
“Teaching lower-level academic kids, to see them have an academic award is amazing,” Rice said. “It shows you that what you do really matters.”
Trejo is now finishing her freshman year at Plant City High School, and she will be starting dual enrollment at Hillsborough Community College in the fall. She hopes start a career in criminology.
“I hope to one day come back to (Rice’s) classroom and tell her I’ve accomplished all my goals,” Trejo said. “Thanks to her, I’m not afraid to try.”
Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver.com.
